Washington Governor Bob Ferguson’s sudden embrace of a so-called “millionaires’ tax” is the latest example of Olympia Democrats trying to re-engineer the system while pretending working families won’t be hurt. Seattle radio host Jason Rantz and other conservatives rightly called out the hypocrisy of a governor who lectures about fairness while pushing new levies that invite more government power and complexity. The governor’s own announcement makes clear he wants a new income-style levy on high earners — and the implications are serious for liberty and the rule of law.
The proposal being floated would hit residents with more than $1 million in annual income with a steep surcharge — some lawmakers have discussed rates as high as 9.9% — and claim it could raise roughly $3 billion a year once fully phased in. Ferguson even admits the revenue won’t materialize for several years, which means taxpayers and small businesses face uncertainty now while the politicians promise future handouts later. Less than one half of one percent of Washingtonians would be targeted on paper, but that narrow slice is still a prime target for ever-expanding taxes down the road.
This isn’t just bad policy — it flirts with illegality. Washington’s long legal history treats income as property under the state constitution, and judges have already struck down or questioned similar levies; opponents expect immediate court challenges if this passes without a constitutional amendment. Voters in Washington have rejected income tax schemes repeatedly, and county and superior court rulings have rebuked attempts to disguise income taxes as excise levies, leaving the path for this proposal both politically and legally precarious.
At the same time, President Donald Trump’s push to eliminate the federal income tax — funded, he says, by dramatically higher tariff collections — has rattled the left and offered a bold contrast to state-level tax hikes. The White House is openly exploring using tariff revenue, and the president has touted the possibility that, with enough customs receipts, Americans might one day be freed from the federal income tax burden. Conservatives should welcome any serious effort to shrink the tax code, restore taxpayer dignity, and shift power back to families and businesses instead of state capitals.
But let’s be sober about the tradeoffs: replacing income tax revenue with tariffs is politically daring and economically uncertain, and experts warn that high tariffs risk inflation, higher consumer prices, and retaliation that could hurt American industries and supply chains. Those cautions don’t excuse Ferguson’s grab for new revenue, but they do mean fiscal conservatives must press for responsible, pro-growth alternatives — spending restraint, targeted reforms, and relief for middle-class families rather than new top-down levies. The nation doesn’t need more confiscatory tax experiments from the same elites who can’t manage a budget.
Washington’s lawmakers are being offered a false choice: accept permanent new tax authority that will inevitably creep beyond the wealthy, or do the hard work of cutting waste and prioritizing services. History shows taxes that begin targeted rarely stay that way, and legal battles will tie up resources while businesses and talent consider fleeing to friendlier states. Voters and taxpayers deserve a clear, constitutional debate — not a stealthy power grab dressed up as compassion.
Patriots across Washington and the country should stand up and make their voices heard: defend the constitution, demand fiscal discipline, and back leaders who actually expand economic freedom rather than expand government. If conservatives rally, expose the math, and remind neighbors what liberty and prosperity require, we can stop this overreach in Olympia and push for national reforms that return power — and money — to the American people.
